KPAI Confident That Digital Communications Ministry Regulation 9/2026 Can Protect Children in Digital Spaces
Jakarta — The Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI), together with the Lentera Anak Foundation, has welcomed the issuance of the Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs Regulation (Permenkomdigi) Number 9 of 2026 as a progressive governmental step in strengthening child protection in digital spaces.
“The initial step will begin with the deactivation of accounts of children under 16 years old on high-risk digital platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X, Bigo Live, and Roblox. This is a crucial intervention to close the source of various threats that could harm children’s growth and development and rescue them during their golden period,” said KPAI Deputy Chair Jasra Putra in Jakarta on Thursday.
He assessed that the issuance of the Tunas Government Regulation and Permenkomdigi Number 9/2026 represents an important governmental step in protecting Indonesian children from various risks in the digital realm, such as cyberbullying, pornography, online fraud, and other harmful content.
However, the success of this policy depends heavily on digital platforms’ compliance in carrying out their child protection obligations.
Data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) shows that approximately 67.65 per cent of students use the internet, particularly to access social media.
According to Lisda, children’s attention has become a commodity competed for by digital platforms in digital spaces today. Platform algorithms are designed to retain user attention for as long as possible, placing children at risk of becoming targets for various digital commercialisation practices.
In this situation, children not only face exposure to harmful content, she noted, but also stand to become targets of various commercialisation practices in digital spaces, whether through influencer content, user-generated content, or platform algorithmic distribution.
“Data shows that approximately 41 per cent of adolescents aged 13–15 years see product promotions for addictive substances such as cigarettes and electronic cigarettes from influencers on social media, which could potentially make children targets of commercialisation of these products,” said Lisda Sundari.
The commission further urged that implementation of this regulation must ensure digital platforms take effective mitigation steps to prevent exposure to commercial content targeting children, including promotion of products containing addictive substances such as cigarettes and electronic cigarettes.